Automatic power discharge chute



April 7, 1925. 1,532,249

E. H. LICHTENBERG AUTOMATIC PCWER DISCHARGE CHUTE lFiled Nov. 15. 192s 4sheets-sheet 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. l5

E H LICHTENBERG AUTOMATIC POWER DISCHARGE CHUTE April 7, 1925.

April 7, 1925.

E. H. LICHTENBERG AUTOMATIC POWER DISCHARGE CHUTE Filed Nov. 15. 1923 4Sheets-Sheet 5 j w l /ay f? I 5/ r A v uw.; V l

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Filed Nov. 15 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aprivl 7, 1.9255.

Patented Apr. 7, 1925..

UNITED STATES 'PATENTl OFFICE.

ERICH H. LICHTENBERG, OF MILWAUKE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 KOEHRING COM-I IPANY, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION.

AUTOMATIC rowiin DIscHARGE CHUTE.

Application led Novemberl, 1923. Serial' No. 675,014.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ERICH H. LioH'rEN- BERG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee 5 and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s inAutomatic Power Discharge Chutes, of which the l -following is aspecification. l

, The improvements of this invention have to do with concretemixing'machines, and Vcomprise c-ertainnovel means forautomaticallydischarging a concrete mixer at the end of a predetermined period ofmixing.

lt is known today that there are definite 5 periods of timenecessaryvand desirable for mixing concrete aggregates to obtain whatmay be styled as a co-ncrete of highest eiiiciency. To the above end,special contro-lling machines known as batch-meters are being used todayquite commonly, for timing the mixing period of batches of concretegoing through a'co-ncrete mixer.

My present invention involves a practical construction ofinstrumentalities operable in conjunction with a batch-meter of aconcrete mixer, to set in motion certain power driving mechanism wherebyat the end of a predetermined time of mixing, the discharge chute, ormeans employed for the mixer, will be operated by being shifted to itsdischarging position.` In this way the necessity of an operator of themachine keeping Watch on the discharging means to manually actuate thesame at the end of the predetermined mixing period is obviated.

With the above in view it may be stated, that 'the principal mechanicalfeatures of my invention consist of a. discharge chute for the concretemixer, power driving means including a clutch device for actuating saidchute to turn it over to a discharging posi-' tion, automatic meansoperated by the ac` tion of the power driving means to render the saidclutch means inactive when the dis- 5 charge chute has reached itsdischarged of said chute may be delayed slightly beyond the end of thevmixing period, something which may be called for under practicalconditions .of service.

' Referring to the illustration of the preferred form of my invention,according to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 'is a view in elevation looking toward the side of a concretemixing machine, and showing in detail the automatic mechanism of myinvention, the batcli-meter feature being illustrated somewhatdiagrammatically and the bracket supporting the skip which loads theconcrete mixer, being the only portion of the skip shown.

Figure 2.is aview similar to Figure 1 but showing the various parts intheir adjustment as when the discharge chute is in its non-dischargingposition.

Figure 3 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Figure l, thebatch-meter discharge chute and skipv features being omitted.

Figure 4 is a top ,plan view of said mechanism. l I

Figures 5 and 6 are'views of the dog and co-operating hand lever.

Figure 7 is a small diagrammatic view of a typical complete machinehaving the .various cooperating parts, with the action'of which myinvention is concerned through cooperation involving time relations.

With a view to a full understandingof the present invention, referenceis niade to the United States Letters Patent of Robb,

1,370,497, issued March 1, 1921, which disclose certain power mechanismVfor moving a discharge chute of a'mixer to its discharg-` ing position,the principle of the said invention being followedin the carrying out ofmy present improvements, the latter however, being applied in a somewhatdifferent way so that the powerplant, or engine, of the mixing machineis utilized t-o drive the `chute inlmoving it to discharging position.Referring tothe parts of the invention in detail, A denotes infragmentary illustration the drum of a concrete mixing machine, B litsdischarge chute, and C. the pivot bracket which supports the skip D, byvwhich -the mixing drum is charged with aggregates to be mixed, E isabatch-meter which may iloo be of any conventional type, such as setfor'th in Lichtenberg Patent #1,321,460 of 25 is a clutch lever 27pivoted at its lower November 11, 1919, or preferably as disclosed bywWinkler Patent #1,451,483, issued April 10, 1923. 1t is notable that asthe skip. D rises by its pivotal movement with the bracket C supportingit, a rod 1 intermediate the skip and the batch-meter E is actuated andan arm 2 of the batch-meter is moved downwards. The arm 2 is connectedwith a catch member 3, which leads downwardly and has its nose 3nadapted to engage a rocker arm 4 pivoted to the rock shaft 5 on which iskeyed a rocking dog 6. The dog 6 is normally adapted to engage theprojection 7 of a segment 8 mounted on the chute operating shaft 9,carried by any suit-l able supporting means, not shown, springs 10 beingsecured at one end as at 11, to' the framework 12 of the machine andattached at their other ends to lugs 13 ofistanding from said segment 8.

The shaft 9 has an arm, or arms 14, connected by a link, or links 15,with arms 16 on the chute B, so thatit will be evident that a pull orpushing movement on the links 15 will cause a rocking of the chute froma nondiseharging position extending into the mixer drum A, to adischarging position causing the contents of the drum to flow out, orvice-versa. The arm, or arms 14, are keyed to the shaft 9, and the chuteB is supported by a suitable ivot shaft 17. The chute B may be of tfietype disclosed by Koehring Patent #899,414, issued September 22, 1908,or said chute may be of a different type as desired. r The chuteactuating shaft 9 will preferably be driven by power means in regard toits movement for shifting the chute to a discharging position. n

The driving means forthe shaft 9 includes a belt wheel 18, which iskeyed to the shaft, a belt or cable 19 passing around said wheel andalso around a grooved wheel member 20, which is keyed to a driven shaft.

21. The driven shaft 21 is adapted to be operated by any suitablegearing connecting it with the engine of the mixing machine, andsaidshaft carries a beveled gear. 22 meshing with Aa beveled gear 23.The gear 23 is mounted on a driving shaft24, being loose on said shaftso that the gears 22 and 23 are normally stationary. A clutch member 25is keyed to the shaft 24 about opposite the gear 22, and the gear 23 isformed with a clutch ange, `or member 26, adapted to cooperate with saidclutch member 25.

Suitably engaged with the clutch member end to a bracket 28, and havinga loose pivotal and slot connection 29, seen best in Fig-y ure 1, withthe segment, or loose swinging member 8 carried by the Shaft 9. i

swinging member 8. A restoring lever 30 susceptible of manual operation,is pivotally mounted in a loose manner on the shaft 9, and is adapted toengage with the laterally extending lug 31a, of a knock out lever 31,which is keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft 9 to rotate with saidshaft. The knock out lever 31 is equipped with an adjustable abutment31c consisting merely of an adjustable set screw carried on its freeend, said abutment being adapted to vengage the upper portion of theswinging segment 8 to move said segment and thereby impart correspondingmovement to the lever 27 in a manner to be shortly set forth fully.

. 0n the shaft 5, which carries the dog 6 is mounted loosely a handlever. 32. This lever 32 has a locking member 33 adapted by movement ofthe lever to be engaged with the clutch lever 27 so as to prevent theclutch lever from moving into clutch engaging position. It is notable,that the catch mem.

The skip D is raised by throwing in the clutch means of the customarymechanism for the purpose, and as the skip goes up the arm 2 is given adownward movement, as previously set forth. Such movement is suiiicientto bring the catch member 3 into engagement with the rocker arm 4 at theouter end portion of the latter. The aggregates have been now charged inthe mixer, and the batch-meter E is loperating so that after the lapseof a predetermined time, usually one minute, the batch-meter operates toindicate the termination of the mixing period, and an upward movement ofthe arm 2 is caused. Said upward movement of the arm 2 rocks the arm 4,and the dog 6, so as to disengage said dog 6 from the projection 7 onthe swinging,l or loose member 8.

Now this loose member 8, and its connected clutch lever 27 beingattached to the springs 10, as soon as the inember 8 is released fromthe dog 6, the springs 10 promptly turn the member 8 .on its axis in acontra-clockwise manner, and this shifts the lever 27 to the right,throws into action the clutch members 25 and 26, and causes motion to betransmitted from the driving shaft 24 to .the driven shaft 21. Theturning of the driven shaft 21 transmits motion through the beltconnection 19, to the chute actuating shaft 9,and the shaft 9 begins toturn.

It may be noted that when the catch member 3 was pulled upwardly by thearm 2 to disengage the dog 6 from the member 8, .the cam 31?, on thecatch member 3, by engaging the shaft 9, causes disengagement of thenose 3a from the arm 4, releasing the arm and thereby the dog 6, so asto. permit the latter to assume its normal positlon, readyto engage thepart l8fa-t the projection 7..

It'will be recalled that inthe operation. of the parts, the shaft 9 isnow rotating under actuation by the wheel 18 and the drive mechanism,said rotation being in a clockwisedirection. This operation compels aclockwise movement of the knock out arm 31, which moves from thepositlon of its dotted lines in Figure 1, to the positionl of its lfulllines in said figure. When .the knock out member 31 has movedapproximately 180", the about 31c engages the upper portion of theswinging segment 8, and forces Said segment downwards at the same timeforcing the clutch lever 27 to the left and thereby disengaging-theclutch parts and 26. The driving action fromthe drive shaft 24 to thechute actuatingshaft, is "thus discontinued, 'and the discontinuancetakes place automatically through the opv eration of the knockout member31, at the time when the discharge chute B reaches its dischargingposition, as illustrated in Figure l. Under the present conditions,therefore,

` the operation of the. parts has been such as to automatically vshiftthe chute B `zfrom a non-discharging to a discharging positionsubsequent to the completion of the mixing period controlled by thebatch-meter E.

Previous to the action of the knock out lever 31 in disengaging theclutch /members 25 and 26,' said member moves the segmenlt7 8sufficiently to reset the springs 10; in othe words, the-springs 10 areagain placed under tensioncand the dog 6 re-engages with 'the projection7 of the member 8 and locks the parts in the tension adjustment. Aboutat the moment the clutch members 25 and 26 are disengaged, the springs10 restore the parts 6 and 7 to their original cooperation, by a slightupwardmovement of the part 8, which movement, however, is nottransmitted to the clutch lever 27. This is due to the provision betweenthe parts 8 and 27 of the pin and slot4 connection 27,

previously' described.

Cooperatin wit-hthe shaft 9 is a sprin actuated mec anism comprising acurve link 35 attached to a spring 36, which is lsuitably anchored tothe frame of the machine-by a bolt 37 shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.lThe link 35 is curvedat its upper end so as to extend partly around theshaft 9, said upper end of the link being attached to a wrist pin 38 onthe upper belt, or pulley wheel 18. The effective action of the link 35and the spring 36 is as follows:

When the arts are in the position of Figure l, the pu l of the link 35through the action of the spring 36, tends `to act upon the shaft 9through the wheel 18 to hold-the i shaft 9 in a position maintaining thedischarge chute B in its discharging adjustment. This adjustment ismaintained under the positive action ofthe said parts 'after -thedischarge chute has been turned over to its discharge `position throughthe driving mechanism controlled by the clutch devices. 4 L,

If it is desired now to restore the chute B to its normal position fromits discharging position, the manual lever 30 is raised. vThe 'effect ofsuch action` is to cause said lever 3Q to engage the projection 31e-ofthe knock out lever 31 and raise said arm slightly to turn the shaft9contra-clockwise. A

slight .movement as? above set forth, will shift the point of connectionof the link 35 and wheel 18 from one side of the axis 9 t the otherside, whereupon the spring .36. will come into play to pull downwardsvonthe link l35 and restore the chute B to its non-discharging position,at the same time restoring the arm 31 to its dotted line position ofFigure 1, and its full lineposition ,of Figure 2. The non-dischargingposition of the chute B may be a mixing position, or an inactiveposition entirely.

Should it be desired to delay the clutch engaging movement of the lever27 after the batch-meter E hasloperated to cause upward movement of thearm 2, the operator may 4 lift the manual lever 30 so that the lockingmember 33 thereof, engages in front of the 'lever 2. This will preventthe lever 27 from moving to the right even though the dog 6 has releasedthe projection 7 and part 8. After the slight delay, such as might benecessary under working conditions, if the operator lowers the lever 32,the springs 10 will go into action-and cause the clutch parts to engage'automatically and the discharge chute will then turn over to itsdischarged position.

-It is not vharmful to delay the action of the discharge chute aftervthe predetermined mixing perlod has expired, `but it would be harmfultoadvance the operation of the moving of the discharge chute to itsdischargedposition. To prevent any such last mentioned operation, or inother words to prevent throwing over the discharge chute B toitsdischarglng position when thedrum 4is mixing the batch, or before thepredetermined mixing period expires, the catch member 3 1s formed withoutstanding lugs 39 which `virtually lock the arm 4 against,`

raising, until the batch-meter arm 2 liftsA at the conclusion of thepredetermined period of mixing, controlled by the said batch-meter E.

The lever 32 will, therefore, be understood as having a dual function inthat it is adapted to actuate the'lever 27 to control the clutchoperation in the event the batch-meter E is incapacitated or is not apart of the equip- ,viously identified, it is notable that the arm 2 isturned downwards as the member l is hit by the skip bracket D, when thelatter reaches its uppermost position. The downward movelnent of the arm2 is compelled by the link a pivoted to the arm z' which carries theweight j. As the arm 2 moves downwards the weight is lifted, and at thesame time -tlie dog b is brought up by its co-acting spring against thestop c. In this way the dog b is rocked until it catches in the notch cof the member 7c and at this time the link a is disengaged from themember 7c through the action of the roller f and the nose g. As thenadjusted the parts are disposed so that the dog Z) holds the member 2against the pull of the spring h until the weight j comes down andreleases the engagement through the tripping of the deg by the knock-outfinger d. In this manner the spring z, is permitted to act upon the arm2 and move the catch member 3 upwards.

It will be evident that the spring 36 and its linkage feature 35 withthe connections linking up these parts to the chute, com prise an energystoring device or means, energy being stored in the spring 36 as anincident to the operation of the chute B by the power means constitutedby the shaft 24. Furthermore, the catch 8, the arm 4 and the dog 6 withassociated parts, form a control means intermediate the batch-meter. andthe clutch part 25, by which to release the dog 6 and render active thepower means through the clutch, to turn over the chute I3 to dischargedposition. In effect, furthermore, the springs 10 are energy storingparts for shifting the clutch, and they are placed under tension by thedriving action of the power means 2-l in a manner which will be .evidentfrom the foregoing descrip tion.

to transmit movement to the discharge chute at a predetermined time.

2. In combination, a discharge chute for concrete mixers, drivingmechanism, clutch mechanism intermediate said driving mechanism andthedischarge chute, for transmitting movement to the chute, catch mechanismfor normally maintaining said clutch mechanism inactive, an automaticmeans foi' releasing the catch mechanism and effecting operation of theclutch means to transmit movement to the discharge chute at apredetermined time, and mechanism for automatically discontinuing theoperation of the clutch means at a predetermined time.

3. In combination, a discharge chute for concrete mixers, drivingmechanism clutch, mechanism intermediate said driving mechanism and thedischarge chute, for transmitting movement to the chute, catch mech-Vanism for normally maintaining said clutch mechanism inactive, anautomatic means for releasing the catch mechanism and effectingoperation of the clutch means to transmit movement to the dischargechute at a predetermined time, mechanism for automatically discontinuingthe operation vof the clutch means at a predetermined time, and a manualmeans for causing a return movement of the chute after it has been movedby said driving means.

4. In combination, a mixing machine, a chute cooperating with saidmachine, charging means for the said machine, driving mechanism, clutchmeans to operatively connect the driving mechanism with the chute tomovethe latter, control devices normally maintaining the clutch meansinactive, and

means operated from the charging means for releasing said controldevices at a predetermined time.

5. In combina-tion, a. mixing machine, a chute cooperating with saidmachine, charging means for the said machine, driving mechanism, clutchmeans to operatively connect the driving mechanism with the chute tomove the latter, control devices normally maintaining the clutch meansinactive, means operated from the charging means for releasing saidcontrol devices at a predetermined time, and comprising a batch meterinitially set by the charging means, and adapted to operate thecontrolling devices aforesaid at a subsequent predetermined time, torender the clutch means, operable so that movement may be transmitted tothe chute by the driving mechanism.

6. In combination, a mixing machine, a chute cooperating with saidmachine, charging means for the said machine, driving mechanism, clutchmeans to operatively connect the driving mechanism with the chute tomove the latter, control devices normally maintaining the clutch meansinactive, means operated from the charging means I meter initially setby the charging means,

and adapted to operate the controlling devices aforesaid at a subsequentpredetermined time, to render the clutch means operable so that movementmay be transmitted tothe chute by the driving mechanism, and a manuallycontrolled device for delaying the transition of the clutch means toactivity beyond the time when the control devices are operatedto permitthe clutch means to become active. I

7. In combination, a mixingmachine, a chute cooperating with saidmachine, charging means `for the said machine, driving mechanism, clutchmeans to operatively/con! neet the driving mechanism with the chute tomove the latter, control devices normally maintaining the clutch meansinactive, means operated from the. charging means for releasing saidcontrol devices at a predetermined time, and comprising a batch meterinitially set by` the charging means, and adapted to operate thecontrolling devices aforesaid at a subsequent predetermined time, torender the clutch means operable so that movement may be transmitted tothe chute by the driving mechanism,A a manually controlled device fordelaying the transition of the clutch means to activity beyond the timewhen the control devices are operated to permit the clutch means tobecome active, said manual means comprising a locking device formaintaining the clutch means out of operation and for efecting actuationof said clutch means.

8. In combination, a mixer, a discharge chute therefor,driving-mechanism for turning over said discharge chute to discharg-4ing, position, clutch means intermediate said driving mechanism and thechute, for connecting the latter to be operated by driving mechanism,control means for the clutch means, normally maintaining the sameinactive 'and preventing operation thereof, and a batch meter forreleasing the control means so that the clutch means may operativelyconnect the driving mechanism with the chute to move the latter. l

9. In combination, a batch meter, a mixer .discharge chute, drivingmechanism, means to connect the driving mechanism to the v.chute to movethe latter, control means in'- cludingfa dog for normally maintainingsaid connecting means inactive, mea-ns operated .by the batch meter forlocking said dog against releaseaction for a predetermined operation,and including a catch subsequently operable by the -batch meter torelease the dog and thereby connect the chute to be operated by thedriving mechanism.

10. In combination, a batch meter, a mixer discharge chute, drivingmechanism,

time, after setting of the batch meter intov means, to connect thedriving mechanism to the chute to move the latter, control meansincluding a dog for normally maintaining said connectingmeans inactive,means` operated by the batch meter for locking said dog against releaseaction for a predetermined time, after setting of the batch meter intooperation, and including a catch subsequently operable by thebatch meterto release the dog and thereby connect the chute to be operated by thedriving mechanism,

and means operable by said driving mechanism for transmitting to thechute other movement than transmitted .by the driving mechanism, and amanual control device to set the last mentioned means into action fornormalizing the chute.

11. In combination, a mixer discharge chute adapted to assumedischarging and non-discharging positions, ,a batch meter, power meansto turn said chute over to a discharging position, connecting meansbetween the power means and the chute, including a clutch, controldevices controlled by the batch meter and normally maintaining saidclutch inactive, and also controlled by the said batch-meter to releasethe clutch, and thereby cause said clutch to connect the power mechanismwith the chute to turn it to discharging position, a power contrivanceconcrete mixers, power mea-ns, connecting means intermediate the powermeans and Said' chute for turning the chute to discharged position, apower contrivance'operable by said power means to store up power bywhich tol normalize the chute so that it assumes a non-dischargingposition, and means controlling vthe effective action of said powercon-trivance. e

13. In combination, a discharge chute for concrete miners', power means,connecting means intermediate the power means and said chute for turningthe chute to discharged position, a power contrivance operable by saidpower means to store up power by which to normalize the chute so that itassumes a non-discharging position, means controlling the effectiveaction of said power contrivanc'e, comprising a manual device forthrowing the power contrivance into action and causing it to'move thechute back to said non-discharging position.

14. In combination, a discharge chute for concrete mixers, an energystoring device, a linkage connection between said enero'y storing deviceand the vchute so disposed. as to hold the chute in dischargin andnon-discharging positions power mec a\n ism for op for restoring thechute `to non-discharging i l, position.

erating the chu-te and thereby moving said linkage devices to a positionstoring up energy 1n the energy storing means, b which to force thechute back to a non-disc arging position, and means for releasing .saidenergy storing means for effective action on the chute, substantially asdescribed.

15. In combination, a discharge chute for concrete mixers, a poweroperating mechanism,clutch means forming part of connections betweensaid power operating mechanism and the chute, means for rendering saidclu-tch means active, whereby the power operating mechanism will movethe chute to a discharged position, an energy storing device operatedincident to thev movement of the discharge chute to discharged positionby said power operating mechanism, said energy storage device being soconnected with the. chute as to restore it to non-discharging position,and means for releasing the energy storing device after the chutereaches a discharging position, whereby the chute is carried back tonon-discharging 16. In combination, a concrete mixer discharge chute,power means for moving said chute to a discharging position, an energystoring device operated by said power means to store up power by whichto move the chute back to non-discharging position, and means forreleasing said energy storing device at will subsequent to itsoperation-by the power means. Y

17. In combination, a concrete mixer discharge chute, power means tomovesaid chute to discharged position, automatic means for disconnecting thepower means from the chiite when the chute has reached dischargedposition control devices controlling the application of power by thepower means to the chute, and a batch-meter controlling said controlmeans.

18. In combination, a batch-meter, a power operating device, a concretemixer discharge chut-e, clutch mechanismv to connect the power operatingdevice with the chute to turn the latter to discharged position, a dognormally preventing the operation of said clutch means, a catch operableby the batch-meter for releasing said dog so-that the power device willactuate the discharge chute through the operation of the clutchmechanism, and means operated by said power device for renderinr theclutch mech-v anism inactive when the discharge chute reaches apredetermined point in its movement.

19. In combination, a batch-meter, a power operating device, a concretemixer discharge chute, clutch mechanism to connect the power operatingdevice with the chute to turn the latter to discharged position, a dognormally preventing the operation of said clutch means, a catch operableby the batch-meter for releasing said dog so that the power device willactuate the discharge chute through the operation of the clutchmechanism, means operated by said power device for rendering the' clutchmechanisrn inactive when the discharge chute reaches a predeterminedpoint in its movement, an energy storing device operated by the powermeans and adapted to carry the discharge chute from discharged positionback to non-discharging position, and a manual device for controllingthe action of said energy storing device.

In testimony whereof'I affix my signature.

ERICH H. LIOHTENBERG.

